Reassurance
by Werecat1215
Summary: When a nightmare has his lover on the alert, James is there to remind him that the bumps in the night are nothing to fear.


It was Smee's quiet whimpering that woke James from his restless sleep. Instantly wide awake, he reacted instinctively. Seizing the pistol he had stashed beneath the pillow, James aimed the gun at the door, ready to face the unknown danger. He blinked. _Nothing._ Their cabin was pitch black and calm. No one was there. The pirate heaved a sigh and thrust his pistol back into its usual place. Nothing was amiss; the cabin window was latched tight to keep the flying child away, and everything was quiet. James' brow furrowed in confusion.

The door was locked, and the window was latched to keep the flying brat away. There was a loaded pistol just under the pillow, at least a half dozen swords scattered across the cabin floor, and James' legendary prosthetic resting on the bedside table. But Smee had the greatest weapon of all; his captain. James intentionally put his body between his lover and the door, protecting him from any danger. So what had Smee so upset?

Then Smee whimpered again, louder this time. The captain propped himself up on his good arm and glanced down at his partner. Smee was twitching fitfully, his face contorted into a mask of fright. Small wails rose from the back of his throat.

James felt his heart ache as he gazed at his mate. He reached out with his good hand and tenderly stroked Smee's cheek. "Shhh, love, it's all right. I'm here. Wake up," he urged softly. "Wake up."

Smee sat bolt upright with a gasp. James grunted in surprise and jerked back so fast that he almost fell off the bed. He managed to steady himself by grabbing the edge of the headboard. James shifted closer to him and pulled Smee's trembling form into his arms. It was this small act of love that broke the dam. Smee broke down and started weeping hysterically. He buried his face in James' shoulder as great, heaving sobs wracked his whole body. The captain tightened his grip, making soft shushing sounds as he tenderly caressed Smee's cheek.

"What happened, sweetie?" James asked softly. "Bad dream?"

He instantly regretted asking the question. Smee started to cry again, twice as hard this time. But with James' strong arms holding him tight, Smee was able to sob out the story.

"P-Pan…" he finally hiccupped. "He h-had you, Jamie. And you…you…" He swallowed hard, then wailed, "Died!"

James felt his eyes fill with sudden tears. Even though the pair had been together for close to a century, Smee always found a way to surprise James with just how much he cared.

The captain pulled slightly away to gaze straight into his love's bright brown eyes. "Oh, Smee," he said. "You know that would never happen. Pan's too inexperienced to finish the job." He nodded over to his silver hook at the bedside.

Smee looked unconvinced. "But he c-cut off your hand…"

James interrupted him with a small laugh. "Huh, beginner's luck. The little beast had never picked up a real sword before we dueled. And I would know; I worked alongside his father and watched him grow up in the years before we came to Never Land. He's hopeless with a blade. Pan used to terrorize the local urchins with a wooden dagger. The day he robbed me of my hand was his first time handling a real knife." He smiled bitterly. "And if I hadn't slipped, I'd still have both my hands, and not have a twenty-foot lizard following me around wherever I go."

Smee laid his head on James' chest. His tears felt cool and slick against James' bare skin. "But Pan might finish you, one day."

James rested his cheek lightly against Smee's forehead as he continued, "Pan won't kill me, darling. He has too much fun terrorizing me. If I die, he'll have no reason to stay in Never Land. Pan will have to face the truth and grow up. So he _must_ keep me alive in order to stay a monstrous little barnacle for all eternity."

The first mate lifted his head from his lover's chest and James saw the tear tracks glistening on both his cheeks. "But it was so lifelike, Jamie. It was too real. I'm scared. And I don't want to lose you!"

A sudden smile broke out across James' face. He pressed his forehead to Smee's and kissed the tip of his nose. "Oh, Smee, I would never leave you. Ever. I promise. I love you too much to be apart from you. Don't you know that? Life without you is unbearable. And I know. I made that mistake once before. Never again."

There was a long pause. Both the men remembered that dark and horrible time when they had tried denying their feelings for each other and gone their separate ways. James felt Smee shudder and hugged him even tighter.

"Besides," he murmured, "I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you'd _never_ let anything happen to me. I may have lost a hand, but I kept something much more valuable."

Smee looked up into James' face. "Really? What, Jamie? What was it?"

"You," he answered simply.

A small laugh burst from Smee. James smiled though his tears and planted a light, loving kiss on his beloved's forehead.

"I'm sorry, Jamie. You must think I'm such a fool; letting a silly old nightmare scare me."

James nuzzled his first mate's neck. "I would never think that. What I do think is that you are the bravest, most loving man on the face on this earth."

"You really think that?" Smee asked. James thought he sounded tired.

"Of course I do. I would never lie to you." James barely stifled an enormous yawn. "Now, then, let's try to get some sleep."

He lay back down, pulling his mate down with him. Smee snuggled into James' warm arms and finally closed his eyes. James managed to stay awake until his lover's breathing slowed down to a calm, steady rhythm. Only then, with Smee held tight in his arms and his heart full of love, did Captain James Hook finally allow his eyelids to droop in sleep.


End file.
